Check protector



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March 4, 1924. A l 1,485,885

r K. ROSS CHECK PROTECTOR i Filed Jan. 2e. 19.23v s sheets-sheet 2- s lnlrllllllllm'nllllll r Illlllllil.-

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Imm/emr" Marek 4 1924. 1,485,885.

, K. ROSS CHECK PROTECTOR Filed Jan. 26, 1923 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Izzz/fezzfor March 4 1924. A

. K. ROSS CHECK PROTECTOR Filed Jan. 26. 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 XML/1h55 l March 4 1924.' 1,485,885

K. ROSS CHECK PROTECTOR Filed Jan. 2-, 1923 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 @hl mmumllm: I: g

Patented Mar. d, i924.

Kant ness, or Los anentns, CALIFORNIA.

CHECK PROTECTOR.

npplicaton'led January 26 1923. Serial No. 6153019.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that l, linnn Ross, a citizen of Russia, having declared my intention of becoming a citizen of the United States, residing in Angeles, State of California, have invented new and useful improvements in Check Protectors, of which the following is a specification. n

This invention relates to devices for printing and protecting checks and the like; and although l here speak of the invention as being a check. protector itwill be understood that the invention may be capable of other usesit is not necessarily limited to printing specifically a check, although for the purposes in rendering my invention most clearly intelligible l will' explain it in detail as applied to printing and protecting a bank check.

There are many objects and corresponding accomplishments of the invention, most of which will be best understood from the following detailed explanation of a preferred embodiment of the invention; but I may state at the outset that one of the primary objects of the invention is to provide a device that, after the several printing devices are set in any selected positions to print any desired amount, then a single operation is all that is necessary to do the printing. 1n check protectors and writers of which amount on the check has done by several successive operations. instance, if it is desired to write a check for one thousand one hundred. five dollars and fifty cents, the first printing operation has been to print the one thousand and .then successive printing operations have been used to print the one hundred7 and the five and so on. Of course it has also beenV necessary to select these particular amounts by some operation or other. In my mechanism, once the characters to print the amount have been selected, the printing itself is accomplished by a single operation, and the whole of the printing on the check is done at one time.

There are numerous other objects and con responding features of the invention; but an understanding of 'the mechanism itself will enable such objects and features to be most clearly understood, and so, for the purpose of giving a full understanding of 'the inven tion l illustrate in the, accompanying drawheretofore been Los Angeles, county of Los` I am aware the printing of the- For ings and describe: in detail in: the following description. a specilic and preferred form of mechanism. This Ifdowithoutvneces# sarily limiting the. invention to: the partici ulars hereinafter set out.

ln order to facilitate a comprehensive understanding .of the mechanism now to be explained, I will firstgive fa-general idea of that mechanisml and its. outstandingl features. The type bars for the several de* nominations are carried v on a jseries of wheels each rotatable .tobring any selected type bar into whatl will term the; printing line, which here happens to be [selected at the lowermost wheel is loosely mounted on a longitudinal supporting shaft and Vis provided 1 with means for individually turning it. longitudinal shaft is supported in such a manner that it andall the ,wheels can be moved down by a single` operationto1 print upon a check inserted under ,the wheels. Previous to the final operation ,of printing however, the type bars have beenl slid .longitudinally toward one end of the machine so that, prior to the printing operation, all the selected type bars have been moved upagainstone type, leavingno spaces between adjacent type bars and thus making the final,y printing practically continuous. .This eliminates entirely being made in any blank space.

I will now refer more particularly to thel bars and taken as indicated by line 8-3 on Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross section on lines 1f-4 of Figs. 1 and 5 but showing only the printing wheel, not showing the whole of the surrounding case or the base;

Fig. 5 is a section on line 5--5 -of Fig. l;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal section showing in 'greater detail certain parts shown in similar section in Fig. 2; Fig. 6 showing the parts innormal position;

point of thewheels. Eachv .This

in the; printing linel another tok make what amounts to an unbroken yline of4 the possibility of any insertionV yall the wheels thereon Fig. 7 is a similar section showing the parts in the position they assume when the type bars are slid longitudinally to bring them together; Figs. 6 and 7 showing a plurality of relatively long type bars;

Figs. 8 and 9 are similar sections showing some long and some short type bars;

Fig. 10 is a longitudinal horizontal section on line 10-10 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 11 is an enlarged sectional view of one of the elements shown in Fig. 10; Figs. 10 and 11 showing also certain locking means hereinafter referred to;

Fig. 12 is a plan section on line 12-12 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 13 isa transverse section on line 13-13 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 14 is a fragmentary horizontal section on line 14-14 of Fig. 13;

Fig. 15 is an end view of the mechanism and a -section through the case taken as indicated by line 15-15 on Fig. 1;

Fig. 16 is a side elevation o'f the parts shown in F ig.V 15, with the case inV section;

Fig. 17 is a fragmentary section on line 17-17 of mentary section on lines 18--18 of Figs. 2 and 12.

Fig. 19 is a view similar to Fig. 8 showH ing a modification and Figs. 20 and 21 are, respectively, a` plan and a longitudinal vertical section of one of the elements shown in Fig. 19.

In the drawings I show at 20 a suitable base and at 21 a case suitable to enclose the working mechanism. On the base I mount two upright frame members 22 with vertical slots 23 through which the central longitudinal shaft 24 extends. This shaft is mounted in two upright standards 25 having feet at 26 normally supported by com,- pression springs 27, so that the shaft and are normally supported in such a position as indicated in the drawings. These parts are non-rotary, the wheels only rotating on the shaft 24. The number of wheels in the mechanism depends upon the number of denominations it is desired to print; and so that number may be varied. I show sullicientprinting wheels here to print into the millions denomination.

Each wheel, as I show it in the drawings,

comprises a rim 30 and supporting arms 31 mounted on a Wheel hub 32 that turns freely on shaft 24. The arms 31 are inset from one face of the rim to provide space for the individual rotating mechanism that is applied to each wheel. This rotating mechanism for each wheel comprises a gear 33 meshing with a smaller gear (one half the size) 34 attached at 34a to hub 32. The larger gear 33 is mounted on a stud 35a secured in supporting plate 35 that is stationarily mounted on shaft 24. By inspection of Figs. 4 and 5 it will be seen that plate 35 lwheel in any selected position.

Fig. 15 and; Fig. 18 is a frag.

has two inwardly projecting lugs 36 that lit in depressions 37 in stationary shaft 24. A handle 38 is attached to gear 33 and these handles extend radially outwardly through slots 39 in the case, these slots being long enough to allow gear 33 to be rotated. onehalf of a revolution, and therefore to rotate each wheel a whole revolution. There is also in the case an opening at 40 over each wheel through which the designations on the wheel may be observed, in order to set each And in order that the wheels may be easily set in exact positions, each wheel has the inner part of its rim edge (see Figs. 4 and 5) and a stationary detent 42 supported on a spring arm 43 is adapted to engage these notches and yieldingly hold the wheel in 'proper registering position. Spring arm 43 is supported on stationary plate 35 as illustrated.

Each wheel has a. plurality of type bar receiving slots 45 cut across its face. These slots are preferably key-shaped in section and receive and slidably hold the key-shaped parts of the type bars 47. Type bars 47 may be, as hereinafter explained, either of a notches 4'1 in length substantially equal to the width of I the wheel or of a shorter length.

Reaching back from each type bar slot 45 there is a narrow slot 48 adapted to pass the pin 49 that connects each type bar with its corresponding member 50 that slides in an opening 51 extending through the wheel rim. In this particular instance I show these members 50 and the openings 51 as being cylindrical, members 50 being in the form of telescoping tubes as is readily apparent from the drawings. All the tubes in any one wheel are of the same size; and all the tubes of the next adjacent wheel are of a different size. Looking at the drawings, it will be seen that the cylindrical openingsy 51 and members 50 for the wheel at the extreme right arel smallest; then the tubes 50 in the wheel next toward the left are enough larger that the tubes 50 of the right hand wheel may enter tubes 50 of the next wheel to the left. And this progression of size, providing for telescoping action of thel tubes, is continued on throughout the series of wheels. Each one of the tubes 50 is constructed'as perhaps is best shown in detail in Figs. 6 to 11. Each tube fits its own chamber 51 fairly snugly but, as will be apparent, has a clearance in the next and all succeeding chambers 51. Each tube has, at its right hand end in the drawings, a pair of apertures 60 and contains a spring member constructed of wire or other suitable material as shown at 61. This spring member 61 is in general U-shaped and has, near the ends of its two arms 62, two outwardly extending terminals 63, the outer ends of which normally lie inropenings 64 in the Walls of the A i utf rn ou tube at the end opposite the openings 60. Near the left hand end of each tube, as shown in the drawings, there are also slots 65 through which projecting portions 66 of the spring may project; In Fig. 11 the spring is shown in its normal position, compressed into tube 50, being held in this position by the engagement of projections 66 with the walls of chamber 51 in which` the tube normally stands. For instance, at A in Fig. 10 a tube is shown in its normal position in itsl owin chamber 51. These projections 66 have diagonal parts or surfaces 67 by which the springs are pushed inwardly when the tube is moved for instance from the position B in Fig. 10 back to position A, these diagonal portions 67 engaging with the end of chamber 51 and thus forcing the spring terminals inwardly.

At the right hand end of the machine as shown in the drawings there is a longitudinally sliding rod 70 mounted in a horizontal tube 71 mounted on standard 25 which rod is adapted to be moved back and forth between such positions as illustrated inFigs. 6 and 7. This rod is actuated by an arm 72 connected at its free end with rod 70 and pivoted at 7 3 to the extending end of stationary shaft 24. This rod carries near its free end a roller 75 that rides in a cam slot 76 in a member 77 rotatably mounted on the extension of shaft 24 and rotatable by a handle 78 that extends out through the case. From the drawings it will be apparent how rod 70 can be moved back and forth by rotating handle 78.

Rod 70 has on its end a spring '61"L just like the springs 61 of the various tubes 50. (See particularly Fig. 10). The bore or chamber 51a of tube 71 is smaller than the first wheel chamber 51, so that when rod 7 0 is drawn back into bore 51a the spring 61a is compressed inwardly in exactly the same manner as the springs 61 are compressed inwardly when drawn into their respective chambers. Thus, with rod 70 standing in its normal position as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 6, spring 61a is within the bore 51a and is collapsed. lVhen rod 70 is moved to the left in the drawings, its end enters the right hand end of the first tube 50; and just as the terminals of spring 61a come opposite the holes 60 of the rst tube, the projections 66 of spring 61a pass out of bore 51a and the spring is allowed to expand, and its terminals enter the holes 6() of that first tube. Then on further movement toward the left this first tube and the rod move together; and the left hand end of the first tube enters the right hand end of the second tube, and just as terminals 63 of spring 61 come into register with holes 60 of the second tube, the projections 66 of the spring of the first tube pass out of its chamber 51 and the terminals are allowed tomove outwardly into the holes 60 of that second tube. Then on further movement of rod 7 0 toward the left both these tubes move with the rod. Similarly each successive tube enters and engages the end of the next tube and carries that tube on toward the left, until the last tube (lettered T3 in Fig. 2) is reached and moved over toward the left to the limit of its movement. Thus it will be seen that the tubes are all compacted toward the left; and with the tubes the several type bars also move toward the left and are compacted, the type bars moving from slot to slot of the several wheels which have been put into alinement. The tubes and type bars are limited in their movements to the left (come up against a stop) in the following manner. The next to the last tube T carries its type bar T:l into endwise abutment with type bar T2 in the next to the last wheel toward the left. And at the same time tube T engages the tube T3 in the nexty to the last wheel toward the left, and can then carry that tube and its type bar T2 to the left until type bar T2 abuts type bar 107 that is noneslidably mounted in rim 302 of the last wheel at the left. Thus all the type bars are moved from such a position as is shown in Figs. 2, 6 and 8 tosuch positions as shown in Figs. 7 and 9, all the type bars then forming a solid line of type without any intervening spaces.

It will be understood that before the tubes and type bars are moved over to the left, proper selection of the type desired has been made by proper operation of handles 38. To facilitate this selection there are, on each wheel, numeral indications as shown at 80 in Fig. 1, on the wheel run spaces betweenthe type bars, which numeral indications become visible through openings 40 when the corresponding type bar (preferably carrying the amount in writing) is in proper alinement at the bottom of the wheel.

The amounts denoted by the printed words carried by the type bars of the several wheels may be selected to suit the particular use to which the machine is to be put; just as the number of wheels and the number of denominations that can be printed can be selectively varied. Also each wheel may carry one type bar that is either blank or carries the designation zero or it may carry both one or two blank type bars and a Zero type bar, to be used as occasion requires when there is no positive number of that particular denomination to be printed. ln the case of the blank type bar its face may be provided with a plain or paper perforating corrugation as indicated at 100, to act in conjunction with base strip 81 to perforate the paper in what would otherwise be an empty space.

' After proper selection and compacting of the type bars hasbeen done, then the whole wheel mechanism is moved down to impress'the Vline of type on a check which has been inserted over 'base 20, as illustrated at C in F ig. 18. ln the base there are inserted suitable base strips or plates 81, 82 and 83 over which the Check is inserted. The lowermost and compacted line of type bars comes down directly over the base strip 81. rlhis strip may be provided with such a surface as will cause the check to be perforated at the same time that it is printed upon. Above strip 82, which may have a similar check periorating surface, is a type bar 6e heid in a spring plate 85; and this type bar 8d may conveniently carry the name of the iirm issuing the check or any other convenient or suitable data or information. rlhe spring plate 85 may also have a portion 86 over the base strip 63 which will coact with the base strip to perforate the check along the space, for instance, where the name of the payee is usually. written. lhen the wheels move downwardly spring plate S5 is engaged by the wheels and is pressed down onto the check at the same time that the selected line or" type is pressed down onto the check. Thus, by a single operation all of the printing and protecting of the check is accomplished.

After the wheels have been allowed to rise to their normal positions, lifted by springs 27, then the handle 78Y is rotated back to its normal position to withdraw rod 70. On this withdrawal the several tubes 50 are thrown back to their normal positions, and with the tubes the type bars are also drawn back to their normal positions. After the connected tubes begin to move back toward the right in the drawings, pulled by rod 70, the tube furthest to the lei-t in the drawings is iirst disconnected from the string ot tubes when the spring projections 66 or" the next to the last tube pass into the. chamber in the wheel in which that tube normally belongs. Then the successive tubes are successively dropped in the same manner, each in its proper position in its proper wheel, until near the end of the movement of rod there is left only one tube attached to the rod and this last tube at the right is drawn into its proper chamber and then when the spring projections 66 of spring 6la on the rod engage the bore 51a, that last tube is disengaged and lett standing' in its proper chamber and proper wheel. Each of the tubes, it will be readily seen, will be left standing in its proper wheel in just the posi tion at which spring projections 66 of the next tube toward the right pass into its chamber; and therefore each tube is thus left in proper position so that the spring terminals will register with holes 60 in the several tubes when the tubes are again moved towards the left.

rlhe tubes and type bars now being all relessees turned to their normal positions in their proper wheels, the wheels :mayV then be turned to any other combination for another operation. Y

lln order to lock tubes 50 and the type. bars against accidentalV movement out ot proper normal position, l provide detent springs 161 that may be formed with springs 61. (See particularly Figs. 10 and 11.) These springs 161 have detents 162 that normaliy 'engage in depressions 16d to hold the tubes in proper position. And they also have diagonal endk parts 163 that are engaged by parts 160 of springs61 just prior to springs 61 reaching the point where they are allowed to expand to insert ends 63 in holes 60. Parts 160 act to compress parts 163 and draw the detents inwardly, and then immediately afterward, as the tube at the right moves further into the tube at the left (F ig. 11) the ends 63 enter holes 60. On movement back toward the right, when a spring 61 is compressed by entering its own chamber 51, and the tubes thus disconnected,

the detents 162 again spring out into depressions 164.

l have described how the spring' detentsY 42 hold the several wheels in proper positions to align their type bar slots. By this means the type bar slots of the several wheels are aligned, so that the type bars and tubes 50 may move from one wheel to the next. When the type bars are compacted toward the lett in the drawings, they Will as a general rule stand in such positions that each type bar is in a slot of two adjacent wheels. Ot course it may happen at times that the end of a type bar may come at a gap between wheels; but as a general rule .the type bars will bridge the gaps between wheels; and

typebars provide a positive and rigid alignn ing means for the wheels, positively preventing them from accidentally moving out ot alinement during the printing operation. The line of type bars becomes in eirtecta solid and rigid line during the operation oi printing.

As l have said before, some of the type bars are short and some long. 'ln tact, they may be of any suitable length,l depending upon the length oic the printed word they carry. By thus making the lengths of the type bars correspond to the'length of the printed word, the printed words on the line of type bars, when compacted in the machine, will all be close spaced, thus obviating any possibility of interjiections being made. rlhe tubes are also of lengths correspending to the lengths of the type bars.

The travel of rod 70 toward the lett in the Y 1n so doing the.

riov

plate 105e.

for instance in Fig: 7 I have shown a line of comparatively long bars compacted toward the left, Fig. 6 showingthose bars in their normal positions. In Figs. 8 and 9 I have shown corresponding views of .type bars of varyingl lengths, including some shorter ones. In Fig. 9 rod 70 has travelled further to the left than in Fig. 7. It is not, however, incumbent upon the operator to use any judgment in moving rod just the right distance toward the left as in any case he moves handle78, and thus moves rod 70 toward the left, as far as it will go.

Any suitable means may be used for depressingv the wheels .during the printing operation. For instance, 101 mounted .on a longitudinal shaftl 102 at the rear side of vthe machine, and Ithis shaftl mayA haveat :each end. an arm 103 that isl depressed, when .handle 101 isdepressed,.onto.an.arm.104 .pivotedat 105 on and .bearingfdown on the shaft 24. By such. an arrangement as this sulficientf leverage can .be developed to give adequate printingpressure.v During the first part of .downward movement of handle 101 a Ytype `bar 106 is moved .over towardv the right in the .drawingsl (see Fig.. 2) against the type barA 107 which is stationary in wheel rim 30a. Thissingle type bar-106 is mounted slidably in a slot 108 in a block'109 carried by an arm'1101having ahub 111 fixed on the stationaryfshaft 24. Type bar 106 has an upwardly` projecting pin 112 that isacted upon bythe wedge face 113 yof a wedge bar V114 vmounted in a sliding bar 115. The end of this bar 1s .connected by spring 116 with the free end of any arm 117 mounted on shaft 102 heretofore referred to; and when this shaft isxrotated by depressing Vhandle 101, then.wedge bar 114 is drawn toward the-right in Figs. 13 and 14, moving the pin 112 and type bar 106 in a directionv toward the right in Fig. 2, sliding that type Ybar against type bar 107. The type bar 106 is designed'ordinarily to carry the word pay orl some similar designation.

At the forward end of rod 70 there is a depending key pin 120 that normally lies in slot 121 and thus normally keeps rod 70 in proper alinement for its spring 61a to properly align with the first tube; and also that key pin, on movement of rod 70 toward the left, engages and pushes against the end of the first type bar` 47. Thus the rod not only moves the type' bars to the leftY through the intervention of the tubes 50 but also moves them through this key 120. Each of.tubes 50 is kept in proper alinement for interengagement of springs 61, by the pins 49 that ride in slots 48.

To ink the type bars-I may provide .any suitable arrangement, suchas is shown in detail in Fig.y 3. Here I provide a small ink .receptacle .125 carryingan ink fed roller I may use a handle 126 that distributes ink on inkingroller 127 that contacts withI the'type bars and has teeth 127 a that mesh with the type bars to cause rotation to evenly distribute the ink.

In Figs. 19, 20, 21 I show a slight modification of the member 50. Here each member 50FL has at one end a tongue 130 and at the other end a complementary pair of lugs 131 to receive tongue 130 of the next member, the tongues and lugs being perforated at 132 to receive the end 133 of a spring 134 that is normally kept in the position shown in the drawings by a spring 135 that engages the bottom of a groove 51b in the wall of that chamber. The chambers4 are all of the same size, but the grooves are successively deeper in the successive wheels towardw the left, and each spring 135 is shaped to depress spring 134 when in its own chamber. Thus when onemember 50a is' moved toward the left its spring 134 is released to move its end into perforations 132. which: are then aligned. Rod 70 is equipped with the same interengaging means. The functions of these .devices will be seen to be the same as the ones heretofore described.

Having described a preferred form of `my invention, I claim 1. In a device of the character described, a plurality of individually movable type carriers which may be moved to put selected types into a printing line, la `depressible mounting common to all the type carriers, and a single means to depress the mounting and all the type carriers at. asingle operation; said type carriers being 4arranged alongside each other and havingn-type bar slots which are brought` into register when selected type is put into" the printing line, type bars slidably carried in the slots of the several carriers, and means to slide the type barsfrom slot to slot in-the 'several carriers to move them into acompact ,printing line.

2. In a device ofthe character described, a plurality of individually movable type carriers which may be moved to put selected types into a printing line, a depressible mounting common to ally the type carriers, and a single meansto depressfthe mounting and all the typeV carriers at a single operation; said type carriers being arranged alongside each other and-having type bar slots which are brought into register when selected type `is put into the printing line, type bars slidably carried inthe slots of the several carriers, andfmeans to-slide the type bars from slot to slot inthe several carriers to move them into a compact printing line, and the type bars being of suchlengths that when so compacted they ywill at least in-.part bridge .the spaces. between adjacent type carriers to lock the carriers immovable with relation to each other.

3. In. va device of the chf, taeter.. described,

ya depressibly mounted shaft, a plurality of the type carrying Wheels at a single operation; said type carrying Wheels being arranged alongside each other and having transverse type bar slots that are brought into register when selected types are put into the printing line, type bars slidably mounted in said slots, and means to slide the type bars from slot to slot of the several Wheels to' move them into a compact printing line. Ll. In a device of the character described, adepressibly mounted shaft, a plurality of type carrying Wheels independently rotatively mounted on said shaft so that each Wheel may be independently rotated to put any selected type into a printing line, and a single meansto depress the shaft and all the type carrying Wheels at a single operation; said type carrying Wheels being arranged alongside` each other and having transverse type bar slots that are brought into register when selected types are put into the printing line; and type bars slidably mounted in said slots, and means to slide the type bars trom slot to slot of the several Wheels to move them into a compact printing line, and the type bars being of such lengths that When so compacted at least some ofrthem bridge spaces between adjacent Wheels to lock the Wheels immovable with relation to each other. i

5. In a device of the character described, a plurality of individually movable type carriers each having afplurality ot spaced transverse slots, the slots in the several carriers being adapted to be selectively brought into register, type bars slidably mounted in the several carriers, and means to slide the type bars through the registered slots of the several carriers.

6. In a ldevice of the character described, a plurality of individually movable type carriers each having a plurality of spaced transverse slots, the slots in the severalV carriers being adapted to be selectively brought into register, type bars slidably mounted in the several carriers, and means to slide the type bars through the registered slots of the several carriers to close up selected type bars in a compact printing line, said sliding means also embodying means to return the type bars and leave them normally standing in their respective carriers.

7. In a device of the character described, a plurality of individually rotatable type carrying Wheels arranged alongside each other on a common axis, said Wheels having transverse peripheral slots adapted to be selectively brought into register with each other in a printing line, type bars in the slots of the several Wheels, and means to slide the type bars along the registeredy slots of the several Wheels in the printingY line and to return such type bars to normal position in their respective Wheels.

8. In a device of the character described, a base and trame, a horizontal shaft mounted in the frame above the base and vertically movable toward the base, a plurality ot type carrying Wheels mounted on said shaft and individually rotatable thereon, individual means tor rotating eachy Wheel, each Wheel having a plurality of transverse peripheral type bar slots adapted by rotation of the several Wheels to be selectively brought into register in a printing line directly above the base, type bars slidably mounted in the several slots of the several Wheels and slidable from Wheel to Wheel through the registered slots, a Atype moving kbar mounted to move longitudinally in line :with the registered type bars in the printing line, means to conneet said rod to one oi the type bars and to interconnect the several type bars in the.V

printing line, saidV means being disconnectible when the several type bars are moved back to normal positions in their respective Wheels; and a single manually operable means to depress said shaftV and all the type carrying Wheels at a single operation.

9. In a device of the character described, a plurality of independently movable type carriers arranged alongside each other and having each a plurality of transverse type bar slots adapted to be selectively brought into register, each carrier having transverse openings therethrough one for each type bar slot, and the openings in the several carriers being so positionedl With relation to the type bar slots that When selected slots are brought into register then the corresponding openings are also brought into register; type bars slidably mounted inthe slots in the several carriers and adapted to be moved from carrier to carrier through the slots that are brought into register, a type bar moving member mounted slidably in each of said openings and connected to their respective type bars and movable from carrier to carrier through the registered openings, said openings being ot progressively diderent sizes in the several carriers, each oi said members being provided vvith an expansive means adapted to engage and connect with the neXt one oi" said aligned members When the expansive means is moved into an opening of larger size, and each of saidefrpansive means adapted to be contracted to release connection With the neXt said member When Withdrawn into its own opening. Y

10. In a device of the character described, a plurality of independently movable type carriers arranged alongside each other and having each a plurality of transverse type ico bar slotsadapted to be selectively ybrought into register, each carrier having transverse openings therethrough one for each type bar slot, and the openings in the several carriers being so positioned With relation to the type bar slots that when selected slots are brought into registerl then the corresponding openings are also brought into register; type bars slidably mounted in the slots at the several carriers and adapted to be moved from carrier to carrier through the slots that are brought into register, a type bar moving member mounted slidably in each of said openings and connected to their respective type bars and movable from carrier to carrier through the registered openings, said openings being oi progressively dierent sizes in the several carriers, each of said members being in the form of a tube of a size to slidably lit in its corresponding opening, and the several tubes in the several carriers being adapted at their adjacent ends to telescope With each other, each of said members having near its one end an opening through its wall and having at the other end an outwardly expansive spring With an end portion adapted to enter the Wall opening in the next adjacent member, said outwardly expansive spring having an out- Ward projection adapted normally by engagement with the Wall of the corresponding carrier opening to press the spring inwardly and to allow the spring to move outwardly when any one of said members is moved out -i of its own carrier opening; and a rod movable longitudinally along the line of the registered openings and having a spring like those heretofore stated adapted to connect With the Wall opening in the type moving member that stands at the end of the registered line.

11. In a device of the character described, a plurality of individually movable type carrying members arranged side by side and each having a plurality of type bar slots adapted to be selectively moved into alinement with each other in a printing line, type bars slidable in the slots of the several carriers, means to slide the type bars through said registered slots toward one end of the device, another slotted type carrier permanently arranged With its slot in alinement in the printing line at the end of the device toward which the several type bars are "1 moved, a type bar slidable in the slot of said last mentioned carrier, and means to slide said last mentioned type bar in a direction opposite to that in which the first mentioned type bars are moved.

12. In a device of the character described, a plurality of individually movable type carrying members arranged side by side and each having a plurality of type bar slots adapted to be selectively moved into aline- T ment with each other in, a printing line, type bars sli'dablel in the slots of the several carriers, means to slide the type bars through said registered slots toward one end of the device, another slotted type carrier permanently arranged 'With its slot in alinement in the printing line at the end of the device toward yWhich the several type bars are moved, a type bar slidable in the slotoi` said last mentioned carrier; a single means to displace all of the type carriers together at a single operation, and means in conjunction with said last mentioned means to slide the last mentioned type bar in a direction opposite to that in Which the first mentioned type bars are moved.

13. In a device of the character described, a plurality of individually movable type carriers arranged alongside each other and each having type bar slots which are selectively brought into register when selected type bars are moved by movements of the carriers into a printing line, type bars carried in the slots of the several carriers and slidable in the carrier slots from carrier to carrier, and means to slide the type bars from slot to slot in the several carviers to move them into a compact printing 14. In a device of the character described, a plurality of individually rotatable Wheel type carriers arranged on a common axis side by side and each having axial peripheral type bar slots which are selectively brought into register When selected type bars are moved by movements of the carriers into a printing line, type bars carried in the slots of the several carriers and slidable in the carrier slots from carrier to carrier, and means to slide the type bars from slot to slot in the several carriers to move them into a compact printing line.

15. In a device of the character described, a plurality of individually movable type carriers arranged alongside each other and each having type bar slots which are selectively brought into register when selected type bars are moved by movements of the carriers into a printing line, type bars carried in the slots of the several carriers and slidable in the carrier slots from carrier to carrier, and means to slide the type bars from slot to slot in the several carriers to move them into a compact printing line, and the type bars being oi such lengths that When so compacted they will at least in part bridge the spaces between adjacent type carriers to lock the carriers immovable With relation to each other.

16. In a device of the character described, a plurality of individually movable type carriers arranged alongside each other and each having type bar slots which are selectively brought into register When selected type bars are moved by movements of the carriers into a printing line, type bars carried in the slots of the several carriers and ment between the type carriers and the supsidable in the carrier slots from carrier to port to bring the selected type against the 10 carrier, and means to slide the type bars sheet. f from slot to slot in the several carriers to In Witness that I olaimthe .foregoing I move them into a compact printing line, a have hereunto subscribed my name this 16th support for a sheet to be printed on, and a day of January, 1923.

single operating means to aetuate the type bar sliding means and to cause relative movel Y KARL ROSS. 

